Is modernity destroying the human mind? This is the question I ask my guest this week, Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad. Many of us are fortunate to live in a world where every desire we have are met yet curiously our ability to process these blessings leads many to a dark place, a state of mental anguish. It seems the more we have the less happy we are.

Rayan Freschi, a legal expert and researcher for CageUK has recently authored a disturbing report on the French government’s policy of “systematic obstruction” of the Muslim community. He uncovers how the French state under Macron has targeted peaceful Muslims.

Dr Osman Umarji is a director at Yaqeen Institute, he is an also a Professor in the School of Education at UC Irvine and has studied at Al Azhar university. We have a fascinating discussion about Zakat, its conditions and political and economic outcomes. 

This week we have Professor Joseph Kaminski, from the Department of International Relations at the International University of Sarajevo. Joseph speaks to us about the crisis, how to view the actions of America and the impact upon Muslims in Bosnia, who are once again facing a belligerent Serbian movement, supported by Russia.

Fahad Ansari is a lawyer and public activist, who in his professional career has defended many Muslims who have fallen foul of Britain’s nationality laws, including very high-profile cases of citizenship deprivation.

Dr Rob Faure Walker is an academic and author specialising in critiquing Britain’s anti-terror educational policy, also known as Prevent.

Dr Darryl Li is a practicing lawyer and anthropologist who has written a brilliant work on global jihad mobilisation in Bosnia. His book, titled The Universal Enemy: Jihad, Empire, and the Challenge of Solidarity, challenges the prevailing narrative – and attempts to ask more searching and important questions. Joining us is Professor Ovamir Anjum, who reflects on Dr Li’s work and the broader themes that come from it.

We invite back Dr Shadee Elmasry, Imam and community leader who has worked tirelessly at the local level to develop strong communities premised upon an Islamic framework. We ask Dr Shadee to spell out the importance of communities in Islam and how the modern maladies that come from individualism can be remedied.

This week, we talk to Dr Alex Thurston, a specialist in the region, and Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Cincinnati to explain why the Sahel is important. Alex has written extensively about the Sahel and is an authority, regularly contributing to reports and discussions.

In this second part we take a look at the Ottoman ulema in the later period, the controversies surrounding the printing press and coffee and we explore the role of the ulema after Turkey’s secular turn.

In this first part we take a look at the Ottoman ulema in the early period, the issue of the 'caliphate', Sultan Fatih's ilmiyah reforms and Sultan Selim's defeat of the Mamluks and the response of the Arab ulema and the independence of the ulema system.

Dr Shadi Hamid discusses American liberalism, the trends towards nativism, exemplified in the near re-election of Donald Trump last year but also how he reconciles his liberal worldview with his Islamic faith.

We have brought together two Islamic thinkers and scholars that have been working for some time on rethinking Islamic governance. Ustadh Iyad Hilal runs the al-Arqam Academy in California and is a regular imam and khateeb at Masajids across his state. Kamal Hussein is a lecturer and legal expert who recently delivered a paper to academics and scholars on ‘al Sultan-al Ummah’ the authority of the Ummah

This week we bring together two commentators and analysts to make sense of the regional and international dimensions to the crisis. Sami Hamdi is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Interest. Ibrahim Moiz is a writer on South Asia with considerable insight into Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The project to reform Islam has certainly become a popular pursuit, especially of western-based think tanks and policy institutes. This week we bring together two scholars, each on either side of the reform debate, Mustafa Akyol and Dr Ovamir Anjum.

This week we have probably one of the most learned authorities on the subject. Professor Joseph Kaminski from the University of Sarajevo has recently published a really important academic work on the subject, titled Islam, Liberalism, and Ontology.

In this episode, we talk to Dr Yakoob Ahmed, an Ottoman specialist on decline and what he calls a collective Muslim amnesia as Ottoman history is erased from our lives.

In this episode, we talk to Ustadh Iyad Hilal from al-Arqam Institute about how Muslims should understand this Masjid and its precincts.

Farhat Amin speaks to Zara Choudhary founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sacred Footsteps. Zara talks about her recent article "Unveiling the Algerienne, French colonial photography", which looks at the central obsession of French colonialism to unveil Muslim women.

This week we discuss the politics of Palestine with the veteran commentator Dr Azam Tamimi. Dr Tamimi is no stranger to the debate, he has thoughtfully and with consistency raised the issues of Palestine at immense personal cost.